Devices for use in washing the udders of cows



March 23, 1965 N. LYTTLE ETAI. 3,174,457

DEVICES FOR -usla IN WASHING Im: uDDERs oF cows Filed May e, 196s United States Patent O 132,383 Claims. (Cl. 119-1) The invention relates to a device for use in washing the udders of cows.

It is generally recognised in dairying husbandry and milking routine that by massaging the udder of the cow for a short duration, the milk output of the cow can be increased. 'Ihis is due mainly to the massage affecting a hormonal let-down of the milk of the cow.

With the aforementioned factors in mind it is the primary object of our invention to provide an improved device for use in washing the udders of cows by means of which a washing action is applied to the udder of the cow about to be milked so that the stimulation is provided to effect the hormonal let-down as previously mentioned. The improved device is simple in its construction and arrangement and can be easily operated without the full time attention of an operator.

According to one aspect of the invention the improved device for washing the udders of cows comprises a stand carrying a brush means capable of being moved in a reciprocating manner, a prime mover adapted to apply a reciprocating movement to the brush means and means for delivering water to the brush means during its reciprocating movement.

According to a second aspect of the invention the improved device comprises a stand adjustable to height, a brush means mounted on the stand and capable of being moved in a reciprocating movement under the action of a drive shaft driven by a motor carried on the stand, and a water delivering line terminating adjacent the brush means and through which water is delivered to the brush means during reciprocating movement of the brush.

The invention will now be described with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation of the improved device.

FIG. 2 is -a view partly in section of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a part view of FIG, 2 but on a larger scale.

FIG. 5 is a plan view partly in section of an alternative -form of the invention, and

FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative form of brush head.

Referring now to the drawings, the stand consists of a column generally indicated at 1 and mounted on a base 2, the column 1 extending vertically from the base 2 and supporting a housing 3 in which a motor 4 or prime mover is housed as will later be described.

In a preferred form of the invention, the column 1 is formed of two components so that the length of the vertical column 1 can be easily adjusted to suit the height at which the brush means is to operate. In this latter direction, the column 1 can be of telescopic formation and provided with a series of apertures 5 in the upper and inner components 1b, while a spring type fastener is provided on the lower and outer component 1a and by means of which the column 1 when set at a selected height can be locked in such a position. More particularly, such a spring fastener consists of a lever 6 preferably of angle formation and mounted on a pivotal mounting 7 adjacent its center on the exterior of the lower component 1a. The upper end of the lever 6 carries a projection 7a which passes through an aperture 7b (see FIG. 2) in the wall of the lower component 1a to engage in a selected aperture 5 through the wall of the lower component 1b. Furthermore, the lower end of the lever 6 is urged away from the column by means of a leaf-type spring 8 situated between the lower component 1a and the lower end of the lever 6. The arrangement is such that by pressing the lower end of the lever 6 inwardly against the tension of the spring 8, the projection 7a at the opposing end of the lever 6, is disengaged from the selected aperture 5 to tree the inner component of the column 1 and allow the latter to be adjusted to a new position for re-engagement of the projection 7a under the spring loaded lever 6 when the lever is released.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the upper component 1b of the column 1 is provided with a vertical keyway 9 in which a bolt 9a secured through the lower component 1a engages in slidable engagement to maintain the column components in vertical alignment.

The housing 3 carried at the upper end of the upper column 1a component houses the motor 4 which is capable of applying a reciprocating movement to a shaft 10 extending from the motor 4. For instance, a standard type wind-shield wiper motor has been found to be satisfactory. The drive shaft 10 extends from the upper surface of the motor 4 and is connected to the brush means as will later be described.

Any suitable type of brush means, such as for instance a circular type brush generally indicated at 11, (see FIG. 3), or any other suitable material of a soft texture can be used for brushing purposes to make actual Contact with the udder of a cow.

In a preferred form of the invention and as illustrated in the drawings however, a series of clusters of bristles 12 are mounted on and about a circular disc 13 in radial formation, the clusters 12 being separated from one another and the top surfaces of the clusters 12 being inclined inwardly towards the center of the disc 13 (see FIG. 2). The upper surface of the disc 13 is dished.

The circular disc 13 is shaped with a central well or recess 13a and is secured to the vertically extending drive shaft 1?, the shaft 10 passing through a central aperture 14 in the disc 13 so that the disc 13 rests on a circular flange 14a secured to the shaft 10. A nut 15 screw-threaded on to the upper end of the shaft 10 locks the disc to the shaft 10.

The means for delivering water to the brush comprises a flexible hose line 16 which is connected to the bore of the drive shaft 10 through a jacket 10a secured about the shaft adjacent the upper end of the latter. Roller bearings 16h provide a bearing surface between shaft 16 and the housing 3. A rose or spray head 17 is secured on the upper open end of the shaft 10 immediately above the tuut 15, with both the nut 15 and rose 17 being accommodated within the recess 13a.

In operation, the motor 4 is operated by applying a vacuum to the motor through a delivery line 17a to move the drive shaft 10 in a reciprocating manner. The disc 10 and bristles 12 are moved in a similar manner to brush against the udder of the cow in the manner as has been described. At the same time water is delivered via the hose line 16, bore of the shaft 10 and the rose 17 on to the udder of the cow.

As illustrated in FIG. 5 the column 1 may consist o'f a plurality of telescopically engaged box-like or flatsided sections.

' In the alternative form of brush means illustrated in FIG. 6, the clusters of bristles 19 are shaped with flat upper surfaces.

The invention is not to be confined to any strict conformity to the showings in the drawings, but changes or modifications may be made therein so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What we do claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patent of the United States of America is:

l. An apparatus for washing the udders of cows, comprising a stand, a prime mover mounted on said stand, brush means operably coupled to said prime mover so that activation of the prime mover imparts reciprocating movement to the brush means, said brush means including a circular plate and a plurality of spaced apart clusters of bristles on said plate, a spray head mounted centrally of the plate, said clusters of bristles extending radially outward from said spray head with the top surface of each cluster being inclined towards said spray head, and means tfor delivering water to the spray head during the reciprocating movement of the brush means, comprising a water connection to said brush operating means.

2. The washing apparatus as claimed in claim l, in which said circular plate is provided with a centrally located well and said spray head is mounted within the well.

3. An apparatus 'for washing the udders of cows, comprising a vertically adjustable stand, a motor mounted on the stand, a hollow drive shaft extending upwardly from the motor adapted to be reciprocated by the motor, a circular plate secured to said drive shaft, said plate having a centrally located well, a spray head positioned in said well and attached to said drive shaft, a plurality of spaced clusters of bristles on said plate extending radially outward from said well to points adjacent the perimeter of the plate with the top surface of each cluster being inclined towards said well and spray head and means connected to said drive shaft for delivering water to said hollow drive shaft for discharge through the spray head during reciprocation of the plate and clusters of bristles.

4. The washing apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which said stand includes inner and outer telescopic members and spring-loaded fastener means cooperable with said members for holding the inner member in the desired adjusted position relative to the outer member.

5. The washing apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which the upper surface of said plate is dish-shaped.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS l,l09,772 9/14 Leyllv ll9-l03 1,772,749 8/30 HeusSer 15-21 2,228,698 l/41 Fitches 119--1 2,532,925 12/50 Loeb 1574 2,840,838 7/58 Brown l5-74 SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

ALDRICH F. MEDBERY, Examiner. 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR WASHING THE UDDERS OF COWS, COMPRISING A STAND, A PRIME MOVER MOUNTED ON SAID STAND, BRUSH MEANS OPERABLY COUPLED TO SAID PRIME MOVER SO THAT ACTIVATION OF THE PRIME MOVER IMPARTS RECIPROCATING MOVEMENT TO THE BRUSH MEANS, SAID BRUSH MEANS INCLUDING A CIRCULAR PLATE AND A PLURALITY OF SPACED APART CLUSTERS OF BRISTLES ON SAID PLATE, A SPRAY HEAD MOUNTED CENTRALLY OF THE PLATE, SAID CLUSTERS OF BRISTLES EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARD FROM SAID SPRAY HEAD WITH THE TOP SURFACE OF EACH CLUSTER BEING INCLINED TOWARDS SAID SPRAY HEAD, AND MEANS FOR DELIVERING WATER TO THE SPRAY HEAD DURING THE RECIP- 